Tara Lancaster Virtual Assistant Services Ltd

19/06/2026

This is a bit of a delayed post, but last Saturday, myself and my partner completed a walking marathon in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

I'll admit, I was a little worried beforehand after picking up a slight back injury earlier in the week. There was definitely a moment when we questioned whether it was a good idea that I go ahead!

But I did it.

The weather was kind to us, the atmosphere was brilliant, and despite a few aches and pains along the way, I enjoyed every step... well, almost every step.

I'm still walking a bit stiff. What is it with pain, it just seems to move around your body over the following days!

A huge thank you to everyone who supported, donated, and cheered us on.

If you want to donate to support those suffering with cancer and their families click on the link. https://shorturl.at/yyOXA

27/05/2026

Handwritten notes. Repeated questions. Booking details buried in emails.

It’s amazing how much time these little things can take up.

Getting organised behind the scenes doesn't just make things feel calmer. It gives you more time to focus on the work that actually brings in the fees.

I've recently been helping a small business owner tidy up the very start of their client process, and sometimes the smallest changes make the biggest difference.

Before, things were a bit “make it up as you go”. Introduction calls were different every time. Notes were handwritten. Booking details went back and forth over email. It worked, but it was taking way more time and mental energy than it needed to.

Now they have one simple call guide with all the right questions in one place, a booking form clients can fill in without the back and forth, and helpful prompts so nothing important gets missed.

The result? Less admin, less repeating themselves, and a much more professional first impression for their clients right from the start.

If you run a small business and your client process is still a bit "figure it out as you go", it might be worth a look at what a few small tweaks could do.

Are your first client steps nicely organised… or are you winging it a bit?

20/05/2026

How do you document what your business does without adding another overwhelming task to your list?

Ever tried writing a process document and thought, "Where do I even start?"
For small business owners, documenting processes can feel like one more job on top of everything else.

But you know it would help.

When you’re juggling clients, emails, and admin, finding time for documentation can seem impossible.

With my years in recruitment and administration I know how quickly these processes pile up and how much damage a missing or undocumented step can do.

Here’s the secret, don’t start with designing a perfect handbook.

Pick one task you do often, like client onboarding or sending confirmations.

Jot down the steps as you go. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

Small bits done consistently beat waiting for the "right" moment.

If documenting your processes is one of those jobs you keep meaning to tackle but never quite get round to, feel free to send me a message.

I’d be happy to share a few simple ways to make it feel much more manageable.

13/05/2026

Ever feel like your diary has a mind of its own?

An interview moves.
A call overruns.
Something urgent lands in your inbox and everything shifts again.

Before you know it, the day’s nearly gone and those emails you meant to reply to are still sitting there.

This comes up a lot in recruitment and small business life.

And it’s not just “being busy”. It’s the constant switching that wears you down.
When every space in your diary is filled, even small changes start to cause a knock-on effect.

Replies get delayed.
Follow-ups slip.

The day ends feeling messy rather than productive.
One thing that really helps is not filling every gap.

Even small buffers like 10–15 minutes after calls or between meetings can make a big difference when things change.

Because they always will.

What helps most is having enough structure that you’re not constantly reacting to whatever lands next.

How’s your diary feeling at the moment? More in control, or more like it’s running things for you?

If this sounds familiar, drop me a message and we can have a chat about it.

22/04/2026

Does anyone else feel like their systems worked a lot better when their business was quieter? 😅

At the start, everything just felt easier. You knew where things were, your inbox wasn't overflowing, and your diary had you where you needed to be.

Then things picked up, more clients, more emails, more to keep track of. Which is great, but suddenly those same systems are struggling to keep up.

And it's not because they're bad. It's because your business has grown and they just haven't grown with it.

Here's the thing though, most of the time you don't need something new. What you've already got is probably still right for you. It just needs a bit of organising and tweaking so it works for the business you have now.

That's exactly the bit I help with. I'm not here to change everything you're used to, I just help you get things back under control, so your day feels easier again.

If that sounds familiar, drop me a message and let's have a proper chat. 😊

15/04/2026

https://www.taralancasterva.co.uk/blog/are-your-job-adverts-going-live-at-the-wrong-time-and-costing-you-the-right-candidates

Posting your job advert at the wrong time could cost you the best candidates. Find out when to post on job boards, LinkedIn and social media to get better results.

15/04/2026

Do you recruit for your business?

If you do… when do your job adverts actually go live?

When things get busy, posting roles often becomes a “whenever I get a minute” job. Totally normal.

But timing can impact how many people actually see your advert.

Most active candidates are browsing job sites like Indeed and CV Library earlier in the day, especially mid-morning (around 9am–11am), with Tuesdays and Wednesdays often performing well.

A small shift in when you post can help your advert reach more of the right people, without changing anything else.

If you’d like help bringing a bit more structure to your recruitment admin, feel free to drop me a message.

18/03/2026

Just replying to one message…

How often does a quick social media reply turn into ten minutes you didn’t plan to lose?

You open one message.
Then notice another notification.
Then a comment.
Then something else waiting for a reply.

Before you know it, you’ve been pulled away from the work you actually sat down to do.

UK adults check their phones roughly every 12 minutes on average. For business owners, those interruptions quickly add up.

That could be time spent speaking to clients, filling orders, or creating new opportunities.

A simple way to manage it is batching your replies.

Set aside two or three times during the day to respond to messages and comments instead of replying every time a notification appears.

You stay responsive, but you also protect your focus.

If social media messages are starting to take over your day, feel free to send me a message.

12/03/2026

If you run a small business, quick question for you.

How many of these are still on your to do list this week?

• Replying to enquiries
• Diary coordination
• Updating records
• Chasing invoices
• Admin paperwork

Most of us start a business to do the work we enjoy… then somehow, we also become the admin team, customer service manager and inbox organiser too.

Individually these jobs are small. Together they can take a big chunk out of your week.

I support small service based businesses and recruitment agencies with the organisation and communication behind the scenes so everything keeps moving without it all sitting on your desk.

Which of these takes the most time in your business at the moment?

If you think you might need a hand with it, feel free to message me. 😊

06/03/2026

If you run a small business, who’s appreciating you?

It’s Employee Appreciation Day.

But if you’re a small business owner … you are the employee.

You filled the booking or role.
You handled the awkward client or candidate call.
You wrote and posted the social media post.
You chased the invoice.
You kept everything moving.

There’s no HR sending you a “well done” email.

So, here’s one instead:
If you kept all four wheels turning this week…don’t forget that counts.
If you made progress (even if it was small)…don’t forget that counts.

Before you finish today, take a moment. What’s one thing you handled well this week?

Be proud and let us all know 👇